Cabinet approves re-promulgation

Land acquisition ordince

New Delhi, May 30: The Union cabinet on Saturday gave its approval to the re-promulgation of the land acquisition ordince, triggering strong criticism from opposition parties including the Congress whose leader Rahul Gandhi accusing Prime Minister rendra Modi of being “in an amazing hurry to grab land from the poor farmers at any cost”.

The move was also criticised by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

The cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister rendra Modi, gave its approval to amend the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Ordince, 2015. This will be the third time it will be promulgated.

The ordince was first promulgated in December last year to amend the act passed during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in 2013. An official release said that changes in the 2013 Act “will facilitate farmers to get better compensation and rehabilitation and resettlement benefits” in lieu of land compulsorily acquired by the government.

Modi in an interview to The Tribune published on Saturday said that no decision taken by his government concerning the land bill was “anti-farmer”. He said chief ministers insisted on a change in the 2013 Act and he thought of addressing their anxieties.

Asked by the newspaper if he was confident of the bill’s passage, Modi said it was not a question of life and death for him and it was not on the agenda of his party and the government. The bill was passed in the Lok Sabha with official amendments in March but was not taken up in the Rajya Sabha where the government lacks a majority. The land ordince was again promulgated in April.

With the Congress and several other opposition parties firmly opposed to the bill brought by the tiol Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, it was referred to the joint committee of parliament.

The recommendation for re-promulgation of the ordince will be sent to President Prab Mukherjee.

Gandhi hit out at the prime minister over the decision.

“Modi ji in an amazing hurry to grab land from poor farmers at any cost. A 3rd attempt at pushing the anti farmer Land Ordince!”

“Congress Party will continue to fight for the rights of the kisan and mazdoor against this #suitbootkisarkar,” he said in a series of tweets.

Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said the government decision for re-promulgating the ordince was an “insult” to parliament, “which had refused to pass the anti-farmer bill”. IANS